Follow -up COVID Appointment, in Baixo Alentejo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51338/rppsm.473Keywords:
Cognitive Dysfunction, COVID-19/complications, Mental Health, Neuropsychological TestsAbstract
Introduction: There are several reasons why the pandemic can have consequences on mental health. The creation of a follow-up appointment for COVID patients aimed to assess their clinical status and assess therapy needs.Methods: Patients over 18 years old with COVID-19 from the ULSBA area were referred to this appointment. Psychiatric sequelae were assessed using the Brief Symptom Inventory and the Clinical Global Impression. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment was also applied to patients who presented conditions suggestive of cognitive decline.
Results: Four outcomes were identified: patients with no previous history of mental illness, who did not develop neuropsychiatric sequelae, so they were discharged; patients with previously identified mental illness who do not present changes, maintaining their usual appointment; patients with a history of mental illness in an acute crisis or without recent follow-up due to the pandemic, who were referred to their usual outpatient psychiatric appointment; and patients with no previous history of mental illness who, in the standardized assessment, present psychopathology, for which reason they began psychiatric follow-up.
Conclusion: This appointment made it possible to monitor 98 patients, with satisfactory results in the early identification of neuropsychiatric sequelae. Whenever necessary, follow‑up was carried out in a specialist consultation.
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References
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